Vacuum transfer machine



Sept.. 8, 1959 R. c.MoRR1s ETAL 2,903,290

VACUUM TRANSFER MACHINE Filed Dec. 9. 1954 8 Sheets-Sheet 1 Figi.

7 7 6 uw@ l U6 n H M? U ,M

Sept 8, 1959 R. c.'MoRR|s ErAL 2,903,290

VACUUM TRANSFER MACHINE y Filed Deo. 9, 1954 8 Sheets-Sheet 2 R. c. MORRIS ETAL 2,903,290

VACUUM TRANSFER MACHINE Sept. 8, 1959 8 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Dec. 9, 1954 Sept 8, 1959 R. c. MoRRls ETAL VACUUM TRANSFER MACHINE 8 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Deo. 9, 1954 Sept- 8 19594 R; c. MORRIS z-:T AL 2,903,290

VACUUM TRANSFER MACHINE Filed Dec. 9, 1954 8 Sheets-Sheet 5 Sept. 8, 1959 R. c. MORRIS ETAL 2,903,290

` VACUUM TRANSFER MACHINE Filed Deo. 9, 1954 8 Sheets-Sheet 6 gEE! Sept 8, 1959 R. c. MoRRls ETAL 2,903,290

VACUUM TRANSFER MACHINE Filed Dec. 9. 1954 Sept' 8, 1959 R. c. MORRIS ETAL 2,903,290

VACUUM TRA1-1SF1-3R MACHINE Filed Dec. 9, 1954 8 Sheets-Sheet 8 xiii" United States Patent f' VACUUM TRANSFER MACHINE Robert C. Morris, Trappe, Md., and William L. Brown 3rd, Philadelphia, Pa., assignors, by direct and mesne assiwments, to American Hatchery Engineers, Inc., Easton, Md., a corporation of Maryland Application December 9, 1954, Serial No. 474,106

I Claims. (Cl. 294-465) The present invention relates to a device for handling eggs, and more particularly to a device for transferring eggs from egg crates into incubator trays.

The crates normally consist of a series of superimposed ilats separated by fillers which have a vertical dimension corresponding to the height of the largest eggs and which comprise a grillework of cardboard or the like having interstices corresponding to the dimension of the largest egg normally handled. Each filler in the standard egg crate holds thirty-six eggs disposed in six rows of siX eggs each. The incubator trays, on the other hand, may have recesses or channels for receiving the eggs, the eggs being disposed in rows which are spaced apart a distance different than the spacing between the filler strips of the crates, in other words, the rows of eggs must be positioned laterally in one direction during the transfer of the eggs from the crate to the incubator tray. In addition, certain incubator trays, in order to conserve space, stagger the eggs in adjacent rows, so that alternate rows of eggs must be repositioned longitudinally during transfer.

The conventional method of transferring eggs from the crate to the incubator tray at the present time is the manual process of grasping the eggs between the operators fingers and transferring them to the Vincubator tray in the required pattern, a handful at a time, normally four or six eggs, depending on the size of the operators hands and his skill.

Obviously, eggs are dropped or broken, and the operation is time-consuming in that eight to ten separate motions are required to empty each ller lot of three dozen or eighty to one hundred motions for each standard thirty dozen crate.

A primary object of the present invention is to provide a device for transferring the leggs from the crate in either filler lots of thirty-six eggs or other desired numbers to the incubator trays and simultaneously shifting their position so Vthat the eggs are in proper registry with the required pattern of various sizes and types of incubator trays.

Another object is to provide a mechanism of the stated character which is fully eiective in operation and use and is economical to manufacture.

These and other objects of .the present invention are more fully set forth hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of an egg transfer mechanism made in accordance with the invention and with a portion of the casing broken away;

Fig. 2 is an inverted plan view of the mechanism shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a side elevational view as seen from the right in Fig. l with a portion of the casing broken away;

Figs. 4 and 5 are sectional views taken on the lines 4 4 and 5-5 respectively of Fig. l;

Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken on the line 6--6 of Fig. 2;

2,903,290 Patented Sept. 8, 1959 ICC Fig. 7 is a horizontal section taken on the line 7--7 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary sectional view of the main valve of the mechanism;

Fig. 9 is a plan view partially in broken lines illustrating a tray for orienting the eggs after their removal from the crate;

Fig. l0 is a sectional View taken on the line 10-10 of Fig. 9;

Fig. l1 is a fragmentary sectional view of a suction device for gripping the eggs, taken on line 11-11 of Fig 7;

Fig. l2 is a fragmentary perspective view of the egggripping devices;

Fig. 13 is a detached perspective view of the slide block mounting the header elements of the egg-gripping devices;

Fig. 14 is a diagrammatic inverted plan view of the transfer mechanism in position for engaging the eggs in the crate;

Fig. l5 is a diagrammatic inverted plan view similar to Fig. 14 showing the transfer mechanism in position for depositing the eggs in the incubator tray;

Fig. 16 is a plan view of a modified form of egg transfer mechanism;

Fig. 17 is a side elevational view of the device shown in Fig. 16;

Fig. 18 is an inverted plan view of the device shown in Fig. 16;

Fig. 19 is a View similar to Fig. 16 showing the elements in Vposition for depositing the eggs in the incubator tray;

Fig. 20 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 20-20 of Fig. 16;

Fig. 21 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 21-21 of Fig. 16;

Fig. 22 is a plan view of a further modification within the scope of the present invention;

Fig. 23 is an elevational view of the mechanism shown in Fig. 22;

Fig. 24 is an inverted plan view of the mechanism;

Fig. 25 is a sectional view taken on the line 25-25 of Fig. 23;

Fig. 26 is a plan view similar to Fig. 22 showing the mechanism in position for depositing the eggs in the incubator tray;

Fig. 27 is a plan -view of a further modification of the present invention;

Fig. 28 is an elevational View of the mechanism shown in Fig. 27;

Fig. 29 is an inverted plan view of the mechanism;

Fig. 30 is aninverted plan view similar to Fig. 29 showing the position of the mechanism for depositing the eggs in an incubator tray; and,

Fig. 3l is a sectional view taken on the line 31-31 of Fig. 27.

Referring now to the drawings, the invention consists of a carrier adapted Ito be held in the hand and'operable to be engaged with the eggs in the egg case. Suction means is provided in the carrier to grip the eggs` and remove the same from the case. When a wide variety of sizes of eggs appear in a case, it frequently occurs that many of the eggs are not in upright position, but rather are disposed on their sides. The suction device of the present invention operates effectively to grasp the eggs regardless of their orientation in the case, but it is desirable to position each egg upright prior to inserting it in the incubator tray as itis required 'that all eggs must be in a truly vertical position in order to iit properly within the standard confines ofthe tray. To this end, an intermediate tray is provided to orient the eggs to upright position. Thus, in accordance with the invention, the

eggs are transferred directly from the case to the orienting tray without shifting the relative position.

The tray is designed to properly orient the eggs to upright position after which the carrier is again engaged with the eggs. The carrier engages the properly oriented eggs by suction, and the carrier is elevated from the tray. Mechanism is provided in the carrier to rearrange the position of the eggs at this point in the operation. The rows of eggs are compacted or expanded laterally, and if necessary for the particular incubator tray, the adjacent rows of eggs are offset relative to one another to provide a staggered relation. The rearranged eggs are then placed in the incubator tray in proper position and the suction is released to free the eggs from the carrier. These operations are continued until the crate is empty and the incubator trays are properly loaded.

The drawings illustrate four species of the invention vwhich have certain features common to one another.

Each species comprises a plurality of suction cups 20 for engaging the eggs. The suction cups are disposed in aligned rows and are connected to a source of vacuum through headers 21. In the present instance, each header supports six suction cups, but it is apparent that more cups or headers could be added to enlarge the capacity of the carrier. The headers 21 are mounted for movement relative to one another on a framework 22, and t-o this end, they are connected by flexible conduits to a manifold 23 connected to a source of vacuum through a main valve 24 and a line 2S.

The main valve 24, in each instance, comprises a piston 26 biased upwardly by a spring 27 to maintain fluid communication between the conduit 25 and a conduit 28 leading to the manifold 23. A button 29 is provided on the valve piston to actuate it to closed position against the bias of the spring 27. In the closed position, the valve opens the conduit 28 to the atmosphere through a port in the wall of the valve below the level of the connection to the conduit 25 (see Figs. 8, 17, 25 and 28). The button 29 in each instance is mounted adjacent one end of a handle 31 for supporting the carrier casing 22. Thus, the suction may be removed from the bank of suction cups 20 by simply pressing the button 29 while supporting the carrier by the handle 31.

To guard against loss of suction and the entrapment of foreign matter in the suction lines, in the event that the cup 20 does not engage an egg, for example when an egg is broken, or one is omitted from an interstice in the case, each cup is provided with a ball check, as shown in Fig. 1l. The ball check comprises a ball element 32 operable to engage a seat 33 in the passage from the header 21 to the suction cupy 20. The ball is confined in the passage at its lower extremity by a pin 34, when engaged by gravity against the pin, the ball is out of engagement with the seat 33. When an egg is not positioned in engagement with the cup, the suction in the header 21 will draw the ball element 22 into engagement with the seat 33, cutting olf the supply of suction to the cup. It has been found that it is preferable to form the seat 33 with a slight leakage passage so that the suction is never completely removed from the cup 20. The slight leakage occasioned by the formation of the seat in this manner does not deleteriously affect the operation of the remaining cups. The valve effectively prevents egg fluids, broken shells, and like foreign material from being drawn into the suction lines, and clogging the elements to render the device inoperative.

In the operation of the device, the carrier is then placed over the eggs in the case so that the suction cups each engage an egg on the underlying ilat of the crate. As pointed out above, the ball check element 32 allows a limited Vamount of leakage so there is suction applied under the suction cups 20. The suction is sutliciently strong to engage and support the eggs in the cups 20 of the carrier. .When the carrier is lifted, if the ller still adheres to the lifted eggs due to friction, it may be simply .on its under surface for relative movement.

removed by grasping it with the fingers of the free hand and pulling it downward to disengage it from the eggs. The carrier with the eggs attached, is then transferred into overlying relation with the intermediate tray device.

As shown in Figs. 9 and 10, the tray device 40 comprises a plurality of individual cups `41 positioned within the sloping side walls 39 of the tray in a spacing corresponding to the spacing of the eggs in the crate. As shown in Fig. 10, the cups 41 have sloping side walls 42 which have an angle of approximately 22 degrees to the vertical. This angle is suflicient to accommodate eggs of various size and support them so that they do not bottom in the cup. The cups and the tray are preferably formed of molded plastic material so as to reduce the possibility of damage to the eggs. As shown in Fig. 9, the cups abut one another at their upper extremities and a guide element 43 is positioned in the interstices between the cups to direct the eggs into the body of the cups between the side walls 42. As shown in Fig. l0, the guide ele ments 43 are upwardly convex and have concave side walls adjacent the cups conforming to the outer periphery of the same. In operation, it is preferable that a multiplicity of cups be mounted on a series of bars arranged transversely on a continuous endless conveyor belt of aml desired length. The pattern and adjacency of the cups will thus be maintained lwhile permitting the pick up from the conveyor of any desired multiple grouping of eggs.

The particular forms of the guide elements 43 and the cups 41 direct the eggs into upright position in the cups as shown in Fig. 10. This is especially important where there is a large variation in the size of the eggs since the small eggs in the crate have a tendency to lie on one side. The vacuum cup operates to pick up the egg, no matter what orientation it may have in the crate, but it is desirable to have each egg oriented with its large end upward prior to inserting the eggs into the incubator tray. The inter mediate tray 40 operates sufficiently well to effect this orientation as shown in Fig. l0. If one or two eggs of the group transferred to the tray 40 are improperly oriented, it is a simple procedure to manually re-orient them in proper vertical position in the tray.

The aligning tray or conveyor is nonmally located at a point adjacent the empty incubator tray and a carrier made in accordance with the present invention is employed to transfer the eggs from the aligning tray into the incubator tray. Normally, the incubator tray is fixed in a sloping position so that the eggs placed init will not fall over from the vertical position during the tray-filling operation. The carrier is provided with an operator which is manually actuated after the carrier is engaged with the eggs in the tray 40 and elevated therefrom carrying the eggs withl it. The operator repositions the headers 21 laterally, and in most cases, displaces alternate headers longitudinally to eifect a staggered relationship. After the operator has been actuated, the carrier, with the eggs attached to the underside thereof, is positioned over the incubator tray with the eggs in registry with the recesses or confining edges of the tray for receiving the eggs. The eggs are then lowered into engagement with the bottom of the tray and the button 29 is depressed to cut off the suction to the cups 20 and thereby release the eggs from engagement with the carrier.

A preferred mechanism for effecting the repositioning of the eggs between the intermediate aligning or orienting tray 40 and the incubator tray is shown in Figs. l to 15 inclusive. In this embodiment of the invention, the frame 22 of the carrier comprises a hollow casing 45 which mounts the handle 31 on its upper surface and houses the manifold 23 and the ilexible connections from the manifold to the valve 24. As described more fully hereinafter, the casing 45 mounts the headers 2.1 As shown in Figs. 14 and l5, there are six headers mounted on the casing 45 designated by the reference numerals 21a y through 21;t respectively. During the repositioning, all of the headers 21 are displaced laterally inward toward the center of the casing, and the alternate headers 21a, 21e, and 21e are displaced longitudinally to the position shown in Fig. 15. rThe intermediate headers 2lb, 21d, and 21)c are connected directly `to the manifold 23 by flexible conduits passing through elongated apertures 46 in the casing (see Figs. 5 and 6'). The apertures 46 are elongated laterally of the headers to afford lateral displacement of the headers 2lb, 21d and 21f. The alternate headers 21a, 21e and 21e, Von the other hand, are indirectly connected to the manifold -23 through a flexible conduit 47 exteriorly of the casing 45 to an adjacent intermediate header, so that they are free for both lateral and longitudinal displacement.

It `is frequently desirable to release the eggs from only selected pairs of the headers 21. To afford this selective release, the connection from each intermediate header to the manifold 23, is provided with an auxiliary valve. In the present instance, the auxiliary valve comprises a pet cool: 48 biased to open position by a spring 49. A trip lever 50` is employed to close the valve 48 when it is desired to release the eggs from the associated pair of headers. When the eggs are released, the valve is allowed to return to its open position, and the ball check element 32 comes into operation to isolate the suction line from the atmosphere. For example, if it is desired to release the eggs from the pair of headers 21e and 21j, the lever Sllon the header 21]c is operated to isolate the headers 21e and 21f from the suction. This permits the eggs supported by the headers 21e and 21]c to be released. Subsequent release of the lever 50 returns suction to the headers 21e and Zlf thereby operating the ball checks. It has been found that if the passage formed by the seat 34 is made sufficiently small, the ball may be omitted.

In the present embodiment of the invention, the headers 21 are vsupported on the under surface of the carrier by rails 52, 52. The -headers are suspended from the rails 52 by means-of supporting, slide blocks 53 which are free to slide longitudinally of the rails in slots 54. The alternate headers, in turn, are slidable longitudinally in the slide blocks 53 by reason of an elongated T-sh'aped lug 55 engaging a T-slot 56 as clearly shown in Fig. 13.

Means is provided to reposition the vheaders laterally and simultaneously reposition `the alternate headers longitudinally. To this end, a cam 60 is rotatably mounted within the casing 45 on `a pedestal 61 (see Fig. 4). The cam, as shown in Fig. l, is generally eliptical in shape and `is provided with an operating lever '62 having an side of the'center line of the casing. Each under-carriage g 67 is provided with an upwardly projecting stud 69 .mounting a cam follower 70 engagingthe peripheral surface of the cam 60 as shown in Figs. yl and 4. 'The opposed under-carriages 67, l67 are biased Vinwardly by springs 72, 72 as shown in Figs. 2, 7, and l2.

Each under-carriage is provided with `downwardly depending fingers 73 for engaging the headers 21. In Fig. 4, the first and 'second fingers 73 from each side of the unit dene recesses 74 closely embrace `the outermost headers 23a and 23,2 the second and third fingers `define recesses 75 which afford limited relative movement lof the headers 2lb and 21e; and the third and fourth fingers dene recesses 76 which afford kgreater relative .lateral movement of the headers.

As'shownin Figs. 2 and 12, the headers are biased inwardly against the inward walls of the recesses defined by the fingers by lmeans of spring elements shown at 77, so that they are prevented from sliding outwardly beyond their normal position. The headers move back toward the outward Walls of the recesses 75 and 76 only when the undercarriages are moving inwardly and thus impelling the headers inwardly. As shown in Fig. 4, stop elements are provided at 78 on each of the headers 21 to engage the adjacent header and limit its inward movement. The inward movement of the under-carriage 67 is effected by reason of the location of the cam 60 and the action of the springs 72, 72 biasing the cam followers 70` against the cam surface. Thus, as the cam is rotated from the position shown at 62 in broken lines in Fig. 1 to the dotted line position shown at 62a in Fig. 1, the under-carriages 6'7, 67 effect lateral displacement of the headers 21 from the extended positions shown in Fig. 14 to the compacted positions shown in Fig. 15.

Longitudinal movement of the alternate headers is effected by the same movement of the cam 60. To this end, a cam roller 80 is mounted adjacent the cam 6d on a stub shaft 81 carried by an actuator bar 82 mounted for longitudinal sliding movement on the underside of the casing 45 parallel to the headers 21. The cam roller Si) is biased into engagement with the cam `6i) by means of a spring 83 tensioned between posts S4 and 85 mounted on the rod 82 and the casing 45 respectively (see Fig. l). The rod 82 is provided on its under surface with a rack 86 in driving engagement with an elongated pinion 87 extending transversely of the headers 21 and journalled adjacent the opposite sides of the casing 45 as indicated at 83, 8S in Fig. 4. The alternate headers 21a, 21cfand 21e each have a rack 89 mounted on their upper surface in engagement with the pinion S7.

In the operation of the device, when the lever 62 is displaced to its broken line position 62a, the cam 60 displaces the roller 80 outwardly against the bias of the spring 83 and rotates the pinion 87 to reposition the alternate headers 21 longitudinally, the elongated lugs sliding in the recess 56 of the supporting slide blocks 53; As pointed out above, the headers 21 also move laterally inwardly upon rotation of the cam `6i), but the elongated pinion is maintained in engagement with the racks 89 during their lateral travel.

After the lever -62 is shifted to its broken line position at 62a, the eggs are in properly `staggered position for engagement in the recesses or confines of the incubator tray. When the eggs are released by pressing the button 29, the lever 62 may be returned to the normal position shown in Fig. 1. The cam thereupon displaces the under-carriages 67, 67 and the depending fingers 73 outwardly and displaces the actuator rod 32 inwardly under the bias of the spring 83 to return the headers to the positions shown in Fig. 14.

The embodiment illustrated in Figs. 16 to 21 inclusive, shows suction cups 2t) mounted on headers 21 supported on a framework 22a for -repositioning from the position shown in Fig. 16 tothe position shown in Fig. 19. The

alternate headers 21a, 21C, and 21e are displaced both longitudinally and laterally, whereas the intermediate headers 2lb, 21e and 21]C are displaced laterally inward. The headers are connected to a source of vacuum through a manifold 23a, a main piston valve 24a, and a supply line 25. The valve 24a operates like the valve 24 and corresponding parts are designated by corresponding numbers followed with the reference character a. The valve 24a is mounted adjacent the handle 31a for supporting the frame 22a as shown in Fig. 17.

The uid connections in this embodiment of the invention are slightly different than that shown in the previous embodiment. In this instance, each header 21 is connected directly to the manifold through an auxiliary valve 100. There are three auxiliary valves for the six headers, selected pairs of headers passing through the same valves 100. To this end, each header 21 is provided with a flexible conduit 101 affording lluid cornmunication between the header and the valve 100. The valve 100, in the present instance, is constructed similarly to the main piston valve 24 and the structural details will not be described here. Thus, as in the previous ernbodiment, the headers may be disconnected from the source of vacuum in pairs to release two rows of eggs at a time.

In accordance with the invention, means is provided to shift the headers 21 from the position shown in Fig. 16 to that shown in Fig. 19. To this end, the frame 22a comprises a bottom plate 103, and the headers 21 are mounted for movement relative to the bottom plates by studs 104 having enlarged head portions 105. The studs 105 pass through apertures 106 in the bottom supporting plate 103 and the enlarged head portion of the stud bears against the upper surface of the plate to support the header thereon. The apertures 1,06 are elongated as shown in Fig. 16, the apertures supporting the alternate headers being disposed at an angle to the longitudinal center line of the headers, `and the apertures supporting the intermediate headers are disposed transversely to the headers. Spring means is provided to bias the headers to the position shown in Figs. 16 and 18, in the present instance, comprising coil springs 107 tensioned between the alternate headers and the bottom supporting plate and leaf springs 108 flexed between the alternate and intermediate headers as shown in Fig. 18.

Means is provided to reposition the headers to the opposit ends of the apertures 106 against the bias of the spring means. To this end, cables 109 are secured at one end to the head portion of the studs supporting the outermost headers and pass around the head portions of the studs supporting the inner headers and are secured at their other end to a capstan or winch 110 mounted on the frame below the handle 31a. Guide posts are provided as indicated at 111 to properly orient the forces exerted by the cable on the head portions of the studs 105. The capstan is rotated by a lever 112 having an operating knob 113 at its free end. Thus, as the knob is rotated from the full line position in Fig. 16 to the broken line position (shown in full lines in Fig. 19), the headers 21 are repositioned to the positions shown in Fig. 19.

Thus, in the operation of the device, the lever 112 is maintained in the position shown in Fig. 16 to engage the eggs in the intermediate orienting tray. The eggs are engaged in the suction cup 20 by the source of vacuum and the carrier is elevated to free the eggs from the orienting tray. The capstan is then rotated by the operator 113 to reposition the eggs in the staggered relation shown in Fig. 19. The eggs are then deposited in the incubator tray by pressing the button 29a of the main valve 24a. If it is desired to release only two rows of eggs instead of the full complement, the auxiliary valve 100 is actuated instead of the main valve 24a.

A third embodiment of the invention is illustrated in Figs. 22 to 26 inclusive. In this embodiment of the invention, the suction cups 20 are mounted in lluid communication with the headers 21 which in turn have ilexible conduits leading to a manifold 23h mounted on the frame 221) and extending outwardly from the handle 31h as shown. The manifold 23h is connected to a source of vacuum through a valve 24h and a line 25. The valve 24!) is constructed similarly to the valve 24 and corresponding numbers followed by the reference character b have been indicated thereon. In the present embodiment there are no auxiliary valves for shutting off selected pairs of headers from the source of vacuum, although such valves may be readily installed in the exible conduits 120 leading from the manifold 23b to the headers 21.

The frame 22h comprises a pair of spaced channel bars 121, 121 which have apertures 122 therein corresponding to the apertures 106 of the preceding embodiments. The apertures 122 afford movement of the headers 21 relative to the frame 22D, for example from the position 8 shown in Fig. 22 to the position shown in Fig. 26, the headers being mounted on the frame by upstanding studs 123 having enlarged head portions 124.

In accordance with the invention, an operator is provided adjacent the handle to displace the headers from the first position to the second position. In the present instance, the operator comprises a trigger finger 125 pivoted to the handle as indicated at 126 and having a linkage 127' pivoted to the frame as indicated at 128 to elect longitudinal movement of an actuator bar 129 longitudinally of the headers 21. The actuator bar 129 extends across transversely of the headers 2'1 engaging each one thereof. The headers 21 are elfected by an upstanding stud 131 on the header 21 which seats in an aperture 132 of the actuator bar. The apertures 132 act as cam surfaces for displacing the stub shaft 131 and effecting movement of the headers 21 in their respective apertures 122 of the side channel bars 121. It should be noted that the apertures 132 for effecting engagement of the alternate headers 21 are disposed longitudinally of the actuator bar 129 so that when the bar is displaced to the left as seen in Fig. 22, for example by elevation of the trigger 125, the alternate headers are displaced towards the left a distance corresponding to the movement of the actuator bar 129. The apertures 132 for effecting engagement with the intermediate headers 21 are disposed at an angle to the longitudinal center line of the actuator bar so that the intermediate headers 21 are displaced inwardly as the actuator bar 129 is displaced to the left, the headers being held against longitudinal movement by reason of the arrangement of the slots 122 which support the headers on the frame 22h. Thus, when the trigger 12'5 is pressed inwardly of the handle, the actuator bar is displaced to the position shown in Fig. 26 and effects rearrangement of the headers 21 to the position shown in the ligure.

Figs. 27 to 31 show a modification within the scope of the present invention adapted to load an incubator tray wherein the eggs are disposed in channels which are arranged in spaced pairs. In this type of incubator tray the adjacent rows of eggs are not staggered, as in the previously described incubators, and it is necessary to discharge half the number of eggs from each row in order to complete the loading of the incubator tray. It is noted that instead of compacting the rows as in the previous embodiments, the outer pairs of rows must be extended outwardly. This is by reason of a spacer strip in the incubator tray between the outer pair and middle pair of rows of eggs.

In this embodiment of the invention, the eggs are engaged and carried by suction cups 20 mounted in headers 2'1 supported for transverse movement relative to the frame 22e` having a handle 31C. In the present embodiment of the invention, the headers 21 are each interrupted at the central portion thereof as indicated at in Fig. 29 so that the header is divided into halves which are isolated from one another. The respective halves of the headers 21 are all connected to corresponding manifolds 23c, 23C which telescope and constitute a structural part of the supporting frame 22c.. Each manifold 23e is connected to a source of vacuum through a conduit 28C, one of a pair of valves 24C, 24e and a conduit 25. Each valve 24C is constructed similarly to the valve 24, described above, and corresponding reference numerals followed by the reference character c have been employed to indicate corresponding elements of the valve. Thus, each button 29C controls the suction to one half of the egg-supporting cups 20, and to release the suction from all of the cups, both buttons 29C must be depressed.

As stated above, the manifolds 23C constitute a structural support for the headers 21. To this end, the manifolds are telescopically elongatable from the position shown in Fig. 2.7 to that shown in Fig. 30. The outermost headers 21 are slidably mounted on the frame 22C, for example by brackets 141, 141. The brackets are slidable on the bottom plate 142 of the frame `between the position shown in Fig. 27 `and lthatl zshown in Fig. 30. As shown, `the manifolds 423m are 'formed in three 'telescopingsections, the Aoutermost sections supporting the two outermost .headers respectively and the interior 'section supporting .the two centralfheaders. Thus, the headers are arranged in pairs.

Means is provided to .separate the pairs of headers. To this Vend,'a linkage 145 is pivotallyconnected rto the headers by posts indicated at 143. The linkage is provided with an operating knob V1421 which is actuatable to extend the outermost pairs of headers from the central pair. The linkage 145 is" clearly shown in Fig. and the verbal description of its operation is deemed unnecessary.

Thus, the present invention affords various devices for picking up eggs by suction and rearranging their positions during transfer from the crates to the incubator trays. Certain of the embodiments provide means for releasing selected groups of eggs from the carrier in order to accommodate the carrier for use with various types of incubator trays. It is obvious that by modifying the fluid circuit and rearranging the valves, any desired number and arrangement of eggs may be released from the carrier.

While particular embodiments of the present invention have been herein illustrated and described, it is not intended to limit the invention to such disclosures but changes and modifications may be made therein and thereto within the scope of the following claims.

We claim:

1. In an egg transfer mechanism having a frame, a plurality of egg-engaging suction cups disposed in a number of parallel aligned series, an elongated header for each series carried by said frame, each header mounting the cups of said series in fluid communication therewith, said headers being coextensive in length and disposed in parallel array, a source of vacuum connected to the headers through conduit means, a main Ivalve in said conduit means controlling the connection of vacuum to all of said headers, an auxiliary valve in said conduit means intermediate selected ygroups of headers and said main valve to control the connection of vacuum to said selected groups, means mounting said headers on the frame for relative coplanar movement laterally thereof, and operator means to displace said headers into a predetermined spaced relationship.

2. In an egg transfer mechanism having a frame, a plurality of egg-engaging suction cups disposed in a number of parallel aligned series, an elongated header for each series carried by said frame, each header mounting the cups of said series in fluid communication therewith, said headers being coextensive in length and disposed in parallel array, a source of vacuum connected to the headers through conduit means, a main valve in said conduit means controlling the connection of vacuum to all of said headers, an auxiliary valve in said conduit means intermediate selected groups of headers and said main valve to control the connection of vacuum to said selected groups, means mounting said headers on the frame for relative coplanar movement laterally thereof, said means mounting alternate headers for relative coplanar movement longitudinally thereof, and operator means to displace said alternate headers longitudinally thereof and all of said headers laterally thereof into a predetermined staggered spaced relationship.

3. In an egg transfer mechanism having a frame, a plurality of egg-engaging suction cups disposed in a number of parallel aligned series, an elongated header for each series carried by said frame, each header mounting the cups of said series in fluid communication therewith, said headers being coextensive in length and disposed in parallel array, a source of vacuum connected to the headers through conduit means, a main valve in said conduit means controlling the connection of vacuum to 10 all of said `headers on s'aid frame, means mounting alternate headers for relative coplanar movement longitudinally thereof, and operator means to displace said alternate headers longitudinally thereof to dispose said headers in a `predetermined staggered spaced relationship.

4. In an egg transfer mechanism having a frame, a plurality of `eggengagingsuction cups disposed in a number of parallel aligned series, an elongated header for each series carried `by vsaid frame, each header mounting the cups of'said series in fluid communication therewith, said headers being coextensive in length and disposed in parallel array, a `source of vacuum -connected to the headers through conduit means,a main valve in said conduit means Acontrolling Ithe connection of vacuum to all of said headers, means mounting said headers on said frame for relative coplanar movement laterally thereof, said means mounting alternate headers for relative coplanar movement longitudinally thereof, and operator means to displace said alternate headers longitudinally thereof and all of said headers laterally thereof into a predetermined staggered spaced relationship.

5. A device according to yclaim 4 wherein said operator means :comprises a cam mounted for rotation on said frame, cam followers operable upon rotation of said cam to transversely displace said headers, and rollers controlled by said cam operable upon rotation thereof to longitudinally displace said alternate headers, means biasing said rollers and said followers into engagement with said carn, and operating means to effect rotation of said cam.

6. A device according to claim 4 wherein said header mounting means comprises a pair of supporting rails on said frame disposed transversely of said headers, supporting blocks slidably mounted lfor movement longitudinally of said supporting rails, and means on said selected headers mounting the same for movement longitudinally thereof in said blocks transversely of said rails.

7. A device according to claim 4 wherein said header mounting means comprises a pair of supporting rails on said frame disposed transversely of said headers, supporting blocks slidably mounted for movement longitudinally of said supporting rails, means on said alternate headers mounting the same for movement `longitudinally thereof in selected blocks transversely of said rails, and means on said intermediate headers fixedly mounting the same on other selected blocks.

8. A device according to claim 4 wherein said header mounting means comprises a pair of supporting rails on said frame disposed transversely of said headers, supporting blocks slidably mounted for movement longitudinally of said supporting rails, and means on said alternate headers mounting said headers for movement longitudinally thereof in selected blocks transversely of said rails, and wherein further said operator means comprises a cam mounted for rotatlon on said frame, cam followers operable upon rotation of said cam to displace the blocks and the headers laterally thereof and longitudinally of said rails, roller means controlled by said cam operable upon rotation thereof to displace said alternate headers longitudinally thereof in said supporting blocks transversely of said rails, and operating means to effect rotation of said cam.

9. Egg transfer mechanism according to claim 4 wherein said header mounting means comprises projecting studs on each header and elongated apertures in the frame mounting each of said header studs for sliding movement longitudinally of said apertures therein, the apertures mounting the studs of alternate headers being disposed at an acute angle to said headers, and the apertures mounting the studs of the intermediate headers being disposed normal to said headers.

10. Egg transfer mechanism according to claim 9 including means biasing said headers to one end of said apertures, control means engaged with each of said headers, and operable to displace said headers to the opposite end of said elongated apertures.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 5 1,228,690 Monnet June 5, 1917 1,418,003 Ladd May 30, 1922 1,507,133 Loeble Sept. 2, 1924 1,601,868 Luce Oct. 5, 1926 10 1,938,947 Whitmore Dec. 12, 1933 1,987,336 Powell Ian. 8, 1935 2,335,613 Sayen Nov. 30, 1943 2,407,079 Howard Sept. 3, 1946 12 Christie June 6, 1950 Oliveri Aug. 19, 1952 Tellier Nov. 10, 1953 Schilling Nov. 24, 1953 Birch Jan. 19, 1954 Fontaine June 14, 1955 Jackson July 9, 1957 Pageet a1 Aug. 20, 1957 Morris June 24, 1958 FOREIGN PATENTS Australia Feb. 23, 1953 Denmark May 6, 1940 

